'This Clown is No Friend to our Children or Their Health'

Evil Clown

You know what the folks at McDonalds should do in response to this? Add some bacon to the menu.

Hey, Ronald McDonald, it may be time to retire.

Nearly half of Americans polled want the kid-friendly, French-fry chomping icon to call it quits, arguing he contributes to the country's growing obesity epidemic by luring youngsters to fast food joints.

"This clown is no friend to our children or their health," said Deborah Lapidus of Corporate Accountability International, a group that sponsored the poll and protests outside McDonald's around the country.

"He is a deep-fried Joe Camel for the 21st century," she said.

Many of those surveyed had favorable feelings about red-headed Ronald, yet 47% thought it was time for him to go.

But a protest outside McDonald's in Times Square Wednesday didn't sour kids on Ronald.

"He's getting old, but I like Ronald," said 13-year-old Rosemary Frias of the Bronx, who was eager to munch on chicken nuggets and fries. Ditching Ronald, she said, won't "stop kids from getting fat."

An novel though, perhaps, but that maybe is the responsibility of parents, no?